1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for unloading rolled material. Particularly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for unloading rolled material from a cantilevered support mandrel.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of unloading devices are known in the art for unloading or relocating rolled material. Of such devices, many are directed to unloading devices including a carrier, which moves or unloads the rolled material after the mandrel on which the rolled material is wound retracts from the rolled material.
For decades the converting industry has employed slitting machinery to convert webs of paper, foam, fabrics, nonwovens, tape, and other materials into desired widths. Once converted, the finished material is wound into relatively large rolls that are supported on a mandrel of a rewind stand or a similar apparatus. In general, the rolls of finished material are relatively heavy and require special handling equipment to facilitate their removal from the rewind stand. The prior art is replete with handling equipment for this purpose.
One example is the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,787 to Michel et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The invention in Michel provides a carrier which supports the rolled material while the mandrel on which the rolled material retracts. Once the mandrel has fully retracted, the rolled material is then removed via the carrier.
Other examples include unloading devices that include a v-shaped carrier for accommodating the rolled material. Many of these v-shaped carriers rotate to facilitate unloading the rolled material from a support structure, moving it to a conveyance, and then unloading the rolled material by rolling it onto the conveyance. Examples of this type of device include U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,496 to Reeder, U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,639 to Washizaki, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,720 to Stevens.
Further examples of unloading devices for rolled material are of the general type of a hand truck or forklift configuration, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,703 to Nakajima.
Such conventional systems generally have been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, it is well known that such systems have limitations as to the width and weight of the rolls they can readily handle. The apparatus, systems and methods disclosed herein overcome these and other disadvantages.